Raspberry Cheesecake

Hi all, hope you all had a good weekend.

I made Mum’s birthday cake, which ended up looking lovely and I’ve since been told it tasted amazing too 🙂 I carved out the middle of the cake and put a heart in, but that wasn’t entirely successful, I followed someone else’s instructions, you know I always say go with your own gut instincts, well this is another case where I should have. I was going to poke a large love heart shaped cookie cutter in the middle of the cake and then cut around it so I had the correct angle and actually ended up with a point.

However, I marked the heart out and then cut it out, it looked like a pretty steep angle, but it didn’t end up looking like a heart. Ah well, at least I can accept and admit when things don’t work out 100% right. Definitely going to try again and next time I’m doing it my own way.

We had a lovely meal out and I finally got to eat the mango chutney I’ve been dreaming about for weeks.

Today was my first proper day at Uni. Not going to lie, I really didn’t enjoy it. I met some nice people, but I have no idea what we’re supposed to be doing, luckily it seems I’m not the only one, nobody seems to have a clue. I’m so frustrated and fed up and I still don’t want to do it. There’s way more to this, but I don’t want to go into it, sometimes I shut down and this is one of those times. I want my own business and I’m finding it really hard to focus and be enthusiastic about something I no longer find interesting.

I’ll give it a few more weeks, perhaps I’ll settle in more and understand what the heck we’re supposed to be doing. I know it’s best to have a degree in this day and age, but I’m struggling, maybe I’m not cut out for the whole Uni thing, you know some of us are not.

Anyway something to cheer me up, an easy, tasty, no bake cheesecake 🙂

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Makes 1 9inch cheesecake

Recipe adapted from Step-by-Step Baking

Ingredients for the cheesecake:

> 250g crushed digestives
> 100g melted butter
> 1tsp vanilla extract
> 600g cream cheese (I used Philly which gives this a lovely light taste)
> 300ml double cream
> 100g icing sugar
> Raspberries to garnish (optional)

Ingredients for the Raspberry Coulis:

> 2 cups raspberries, frozen or fresh
> 3tbsp sugar (you may need more depending on how sweet your raspberries are)
> 4tbsp water

Method:

> Crush your digestives and place them in a bowl. Grease and line a 9inch springform cake tin.
> Melt your butter on a low heat in a small saucepan.
> Once the butter is melted, pour it over the digestive crumbs.
> Mix with a spoon or spatula until all the digestive crumbs are coated in butter.
> Tip the crumbs into your lined cake tin.
> Spread them all out until they cover the bottom of the cake tin entirely. I find the best way is to get your hands in there and spread it out as you can get it in all the nooks and crannies 🙂

> Place in the fridge for about an hour. In a medium sized bowl place the vanilla extract, philly and sugar.
> Beat until light and fluffy.
> Add in the double cream.
> Beat until light and fluffy.
> Take your biscuit layer out of the fridge and tip your cheesecake layer on top of it.
> Spread the cheesecake layer so it covers the digestive layer. Try and get it as smooth as possible. I used a small angled metal spatula dipped in warm water. I spent about 10 minutes getting it as smooth as possible as I’m a perfectionist! I don’t think I could’ve got it any smoother!!

> Cover the cake tin in cling film and place in the fridge overnight.
> If you want to, use some fresh raspberries to garnish the cheesecake. I placed mine around the edge and in the middle. I like symmetrical patterns!

> To make the coulis: Place the raspberries in a food processor or hand blender and blitz until you have a purée.
> Place a sieve on top of a saucepan and sieve the raspberry purée so you get rid of the seeds.

> It should look lovely and smooth in the saucepan once you’ve done this 🙂
> Add in the water and sugar and bring to the boil on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
> Turn the heat down and simmer the coulis for 5 or so minutes. It will thicken very slightly, but you want a consistency you can drizzle.
> Leave to cool completely.
> Either with a spoon or a bottle with a drizzle top, drizzle the coulis over the top of the cheesecake. You’ll have some left over which you may like to serve with the cheesecake in case anyone wants more.

> This is my favourite cheesecake recipe, I’ve used it many times with lots of different toppings, including a set strawberry layer so it’s a completely versatile recipe. It’s so light and tasty it will go down a treat!
> Best eaten on the same day, but will keep for 1 day in the fridge, covered well in cling film.